Ettinger of London

Founded by film producer Gerry Ettinger in 1934 as a luxury leather goods and gift company, Ettinger of London has become an enduring icon of British craftsmanship and timeless elegance. Our family owned company is now run by Gerry’s elder son Robert, and is one of the few remaining British luxury leather goods brands still manufacturing in the UK. We pride ourselves on designing and hand crafting only the finest leather goods and accessories and, in 1996, were granted a Royal Warrant to HRH The Prince of Wales. This special honour allows Ettinger to carry the Prince of Wales cipher of three feathers on all its products and gift boxes.

Ettinger leather goods are stocked by luxury retailers in the UK – including Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols, GTC, Geo F Trumper and Mitsokoshi Dorland House in Regent Street – and around the world in the USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Guam, South Korea, Italy, Norway, France, Austria, Belgium and Germany.

Gerry Ettinger was born in Prussia and spent his early career as a film producer in Rome and Berlin – even working with Marlene Dietrich on one film. In 1933 he moved to England and found employment as the UK representative for several German factories producing leather goods, jewellery and gifts.

In 1934, Herion of Pforzheim – a German leather goods manufacturer – offered him the exclusive agency for the UK and he was set up with an office in Regent Street in London. He travelled round the country selling leather goods to department stores and shops such as Harrods, Asprey and Fortnum & Mason and the business soon became “G Ettinger Ltd”.

After the Second World War, Gerry returned once again to London where he was commissioned by Asprey’s to find leather goods which were then in very short supply. G Ettinger Ltd grew again from here as Gerry made Ettinger leathergoods in a London workshop and in Walsall in the Midlands. Using his connections and languages he continued to expand the business buying luxury leather goods from continental Europe and also acted as a buying agent for British and North American department stores.

In 1980 Robert joined his father in the business and, in 1990, Gerry handed over the reins to Robert but continued working in the business until the age of 91.